Youth Football Field Shooting Victim Dies
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Some changes are coming to a local youth football program after three people were shot at a game in East Liberty over the weekend.
64-year-old Charlene Walters of Verona was one of the three people shot in the incident. She died from her injuries at a local hospital on Monday.
Police were called to the football field near the old Peabody High School when the gunfire erupted during a peewee football game Saturday morning.
According to police, one of the victims was the intended target and his son was playing in the game.
"He was a parent. One of his kids [was] playing on the field," said Chief Nate Harper, of Pittsburgh Police. "I believe his son is 5-years-old, and any parent should be able to attend something where their child is participating at and be able to feel safe to watch their child and feel safe that their child will be safe."
When the chaos was over, the 27-year-old father was hit along with Walters.
A 33-year-old woman was shot in the hand. She was treated and released.
"We have children, we have babies out there on that field, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds that were playing at the time. And no child should be put in harm's way," said Chief Harper.
Police met with organizers of the league Monday to determine how to stop the violence going forward and agreed to add police for every game, all game, and to use metal detection when necessary and to limit games to three locations.
Police and community leaders agreed it is important to keep the league operating for the kids and the community at large.
"We can't take away from the parents support and kids seeing their parents," said Rev. Glenn Grayson, a community organizer. "Sometimes young men seeing their dads come into their life, especially on that Saturday at the game in the stands, it's just too important for it to go away."
RELATED LINKS:
Shooting At East Liberty Football Field Leaves 3 Wounded (10/13/12)
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